Deductive Logic

by St. George William Joseph Stock

"Deductive Logic" by St. George William Joseph Stock is a scholarly work on the principles of deductive reasoning, written in the late 19th century. This text aims to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the formal laws of thought, focusing on the structure and function of logical statements, terms, and inferences within the context of established logic as taught in Oxford academic circles. The opening of "Deductive Logic" presents the author's intention to synthesize existing knowledge in the field of logic, acknowledging the contributions of notable predecessors, including Mill and Aristotle. Stock elucidates the differences between inductive and deductive reasoning, emphasizing the latter as concerned with the relationships between propositions given certain premises. It subsequently defines key concepts such as thoughts, laws of thought, and the significance of formal logic, hinting at an organized exploration of terms, propositions, and inferences that will follow in the main body of the work.